Good old Rex, raising a few red (and white) flags....
Rex Murphy: On flags and climate, Trudeau rules by fiat
What gave Trudeau the right to decree that the flag shall be relegated to a position of half-mast for months?
It’s probably far too late and likely just useless anyway, given the current state of Canadian governance, but could someone question where the federal government, or Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, get the authority to do so many of the things they have lately taken to doing?
A plain question first: what gave Trudeau the right to decree that the flag shall be relegated to a position of half-mast for months? Is it within the authority of the prime minister himself, and him alone, to effect such a decision? In this particular case, when was the decision actually taken? And where? And who, other than himself, argued for the decision?
There must be a record of such a momentous verdict. A grave matter such as this surely would not be decided on carelessly, would it? A nation’s flag is its highest symbol, representing all its citizens, the honour of its military, the alluring totem to those who chose to immigrate here, the most cherished of all emblems.
So tell us when and who made the decision to leave the Maple Leaf in supplicant mode for five months. Was it made in the Prime Minister’s Office? Did the Liberal caucus have some say in it? Did cabinet get to vote?
This is not a trivial matter, as the flag has been hanging at half-mast and disrespected for five whole months, while the prime minister has been jetting off to international meetings with the leaders of countries whose flags are flying high. Nor can I believe there is not some protocol, some governing precedents, for when, and for how long, this country’s flag can be put in the cupboard as a political gesture.
Similar questions could be raised about all the lofty statements our prime minister has made with such relish of self-satisfaction to the grandees at COP26. Particularly his comments concerning Canada’s energy industry. Because, all western Canadians must know, what happens in Glasgow, doesn’t stay in Glasgow. It lands in Calgary.
Only weeks out from an election call that gave him less than 33 per cent of the national vote, he swept — rather flew, by government jet — into Glasgow, with a series of announcements declaring that Canada was at the front of the line for getting off oil and gas, and thereby determined to purge Alberta of its primary industry.
This was a big decision, affecting one province (for now, at least — Newfoundland is next). My question is: how much was this decision discussed with the full cabinet? Did Trudeau make even some effort to check on the feelings of the province that was targeted by his decision? Did he not think that the people who stand to lose their livelihoods due to this decision should have some say over it?
I cannot ask whether he had debated the idea in Parliament, since, somewhat in accord with his treatment of the Canadian flag, the Canadian Parliament is almost perpetually vacant these days.
Parliament is bypassed and the flag is down. The country is masked and a minority government leader is stirring great turbulence in Confederation with what appears to be a minimum of discussion and debate. And he’s doing so with an inexplicable, shameful absence of comment or protest from the opposition parties. In particular, the Conservatives, of whom we may ask: where have you gone?
These are very serious questions. Who is making these decisions? Is it just a cadre of the PMO influencers chanting “we agree” when Trudeau outlines his grand choices? Is there never any real argument? Does he really have the authority, or the jurisdictional competence, to rewrite the national agenda?
This is a much stranger time than many realize. It appears to be a time when the preferences, fixations and whims of one man are reordering the nature of the federation, and simultaneously diminishing the prestige and character of the nation’s sacred symbols.
These are matters calling for deep reflection, and spurring justifiable anxiety about our country’s future.
What gave Trudeau the right to decree that the flag shall be relegated to a position of half-mast for months?
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